Teenage Dreams
by Laura Ann Yates
Summary: What would have happened if Harry and Nikki met when they started college? Rubbish summary. Sorry. Rating may change. I haven't decided yet. I have just started college myself so updates may be irregular.
1. I Seem Too Have Missed That Memo

Nikki hated the start of a new school. The teachers never taught anything in the first week which is what she was here to do; be taught. She loved school and often got bullied because of it. That was another reason why she hated school; bullies. Nikki had moved to England when she was little to live with her father after her mother had died and since she was different and had an accent that they didn't hear every day, she was an easy target, meaning that she was always the person the bullies would pick on first.

It was Nikki's first day of College today and she was looking forward to it as it meant that 1) She was one step closer to becoming a pathologist and 2) She was studying subjects that she enjoyed (Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics). Walking into the Biology lab for her first lesson of College and the afternoon (as all morning they had spent in their progress groups going over everything they needed to know), Nikki found a seat near the front of the class, got her things out and sat patiently waiting for the teacher to start the lesson. Simon Morris, the college's only Biology tutor entered the room but stopped just short of the desk as a final student ran into the room and took the only free seat he could see; the seat next to Nikki.

"Sorry, I'm late, I got lost." He said as he too got out his things ready to learn.

"No worries, that's to be expected on your first day." Simon replied.

* * *

><p>"Hi! I'm Harry. Harry Cunningham" he told Nikki as they walked out of the lab an hour later.<p>

"Nikki Alexander." She replied politely, not really wanting the attention but knew she was getting it anyway so thought she may as well get it over with.

"Is that an African accent I hear?" Harry asked.

"South Africa. I moved here when my mum... when I was 12."

"When your mum...? What were you going to say?"

"She died. I came to live with my dad. Sorry you don't need to know this. I should be getting to my next class. I'll see you in Biology tomorrow." Nikki scuttled of in the direction of her maths class, not knowing that her new friend had followed her until they stopped outside their next room with the other students "Why did you follow me? Shouldn't you be getting to your next class too?"

"This is my next class. Maths with Nick Small."

Upon hearing this Nikki groaned "You better not be in all my classes."

"Why not! I'm the perfect person to be in all the same classes as. In fact, I'm just perfect." Harry grinned.

"You're a little up yourself, aren't you Harry?" She laughed, walking into class with the rest of the students before unconsciously following Harry and sitting next to him.

"Not really."

* * *

><p>The rest of the day passed in a blur with the only constant thing being Harry and Nikki sat next to each other in all of their classes. It was going to be an interesting year they thought simultaneously, although not known to the other they were now sharing thoughts.<p>

The end of the day had approached fast and Harry and Nikki were now making their way home.

"Are you following me again Mr Cunningham?" Nikki teased as she turned around to walk backwards.

"No. I'm simply going home. You're the one that's following me this time. Where do you live anyway?" Harry asked.

"That's a bit personal for this stage in our relationship isn't it?"

"Relationship? I seem too have missed that memo. Come on. We're walking in the same direction and we're about to pass my house so you'll know where I live."

"Well, we're about to pass my house too so you'll just have to wait." Nikki knew she could trust him with her address; he didn't seem the type of person to come and murder her in the night, but she didn't know why she wouldn't tell him. Was it because she was embarrassed? Of who though. Her dad? Herself?

"This is me" They said in unison, but pointing to opposite sides of the street.

"You live there? But I've never seen you before and I've lived here for as long as I can remember." Harry protested. "Wait! There were removal vans over there yesterday I think. That was you?"

"Yep. I'm surprised that my dad can afford a place like this. He doesn't work and what little money he gets off benefits for me he wastes on alcohol and take-away for himself."

"What do you eat then?"

"I don't. I get some food sometimes but most days he just forgets about me. I'm lucky to have a roof over my head."

"You can come to mine for tea tonight if you like. Mum cooks more than we need so there's always spare."

"It's ok. I need to see if he's alive anyway and I need to get on with all the homework we got today."

"Aw come on. I don't want you dying of starvation on me. We can go see if your dad's ok, you can get changed and then we can go to mine." Harry tried to persuade her more by giving her the best puppy dog look he could.

* * *

><p>"Dad!" Nikki called out as she stepped through the door and bent down to pick the mail up, Harry appreciating the view as he stood behind her. "Stop staring."<p>

"Sorry. You thrust it in my face. It's very nice if that's what you're worried about." He told her honestly.

"I cannot believe we are having conversation about my arse in my hallway. You are unbelievable."

"You brought it up in the first place. I was going to admire from a distance but since you mentioned it..." Harry trailed off while he watched Nikki disappear into the living room. Hearing her voice and one he didn't recognise, he guessed she was talking too her dad and from where he was standing, it didn't sound too pretty. Next thing he knew, he had an arm full of a crying Nikki; something he wasn't expecting. "What's wrong?" he whispered.

"It's my dad. I told him that I made a friend at college and I told him who and that you live across the street and you invited me over tonight and he took it the wrong way and now I'm homeless."

* * *

><p><strong>Gahh... thoughts? This is set when they're teenagers if you haven't figured it out yet. Sorry about all the dialogue.<strong>


	2. Isn't It Too Soon?

"What! He can't do that surely." Harry couldn't believe it. He'd never even met this man, been in house, yes, but not met him and he hated him. If it wasn't for Nikki crying herself dry in his arms he would go in there and have it out with the man that called himself Nikki's father. "Come on, get your things together, I'm sure mum won't mind you staying with us. I can't have you out on the street."

"But I can't." Nikki protested. "I hardly know you. We met this morning and I've already cried my eyes out in your arms. You can't put a roof over my head as well."

"But where else are you going to go?"

He had a good point, Nikki reasoned with herself. Harry was the only person she had left now and even then they'd only known each other since this morning so he could always leave her either in the distant or not so distant future. Everyone she had ever known had let her down; her mother, everyone at her school and now her father. If Harry joined that list, she didn't know what she would do with herself. "Ok, but only because I have no were else to go."

"Good. Now, come on, let's get your things, mum will be wondering where I am." Harry said as he guided her upstairs but let her guide him into her room.

* * *

><p>"Mum, I'm home. I brought a friend round too." Harry called through the house once himself, Nikki and her cases were inside and the door had been closed. "Leave them there for now. We'll take them up later."<p>

"Hello dear, good day?" Anne Cunningham asked as she walked from the kitchen to the hallway, wiping her hands on a tea towel as she went.

"This is Nikki. Err, we went to her's before coming here she only lives opposite moved in yesterday and well when she told her father she made a new friend he blew up and chucked her out and with her having nowhere else to go I said she could stay here in our spare room." Harry said all in one breathe.

"Oh my god, how could a father do that? Of course, you can live here as long as you want. What about your mum dear? Isn't she around?"Anne asked Nikki.

"Mum..." Harry warned with a shake of his head.

"Harry, it's ok. If I'm going to be living here then she needs to know in case it ever comes up." She told him before turning to Anne. "She died when I was 12. We lived in South Africa and when she went, I had to come over here to live with my dad."

"Oh, you poor thing. Look, come through into the lounge, tea's almost ready." Anne told them. "I'll go put your cases in your room and Harry can show you up later."

* * *

><p>"That was lovely. Thank you Mrs Cunningham." Nikki said, placing her knife and fork onto her plate as she finished her tea.<p>

"Now young lady, none of this Mrs Cunningham, makes me sound old, it's Anne." She told the younger woman.

"Ok, Anne it is then."

"Right, good, Harry why don't you show Nikki to her room while I do the washing up."

Doing as they were told, Harry and Nikki left the dining room and made their way upstairs to the spare room, each with a suitcase in their hands.

"Well, this is your room, I'm just opposite and mum is down the hall." Harry told Nikki, depositing the case on the bed. "Oh and the bathroom is just next door."

"Thank you Harry; for everything." Harry once again found that he had an arm full of Nikki but lost his footing as she flung herself at him. Landing with a soft thud on the bed behind them, both parties started to laugh it off until they sobered up when the reality of their proximity hit them. Harry could feel Nikki's breath dancing across the skin of cheek. A blush rose up Nikki's face as she felt Harry's arousal press against her stomach. "Sorry" She mumbled, climbing off him, brushing down her clothes.

"It's ok; really. I just wasn't expecting the force and lost my balance; my fault." He said, climbing off the bed.

"I'm going to put my things away. I won't be long."

"Take as long as you like. I'll be in the living room if you need me."

"Ok."

* * *

><p>"Done?" Harry asked an hour later as he felt Nikki flop onto the sofa beside him.<p>

"Yeah... Harry?" He could sense her nervousness.

"Mmm?"

"What happened, up in my room before, I erm, I felt something; against my stomach I mean." Nikki said; the blush from before making a second appearance.

"Ah. Erm, Sorry? I mean, it's a natural reaction, I can't help it." He spoke, turning the TV, thank full his mum had 'popped to Maggie's' as she'd told him just after he had come down from showing Nikki her room.

"It's ok, I get that but what I don't get is why you feel like that about me."

"I can't help it. I think you're beautiful and I'm not going to lie, I'm attracted to you but I won't do anything to destroy our friendship. Unless you want to that is."

"I don't know. I mean I've only known you twelve hours. Isn't it too soon? I think we should get to know each other first."

"Ok. We'll do that. Friends?" Harry asked, thankful he hadn't said the wrong thing and lost her as a friend forever.

"Friends." Nikki agreed.

* * *

><p>"Not had a fight have you? You're both quiet." Anne asked as she walked into a silent living room after returning home, later in the evening.<p>

"Shh. Nikki's asleep." Harry told his mum "I'll take her up now."

"Ok. Careful not to wake her though." She warned her son before sitting in Harry's recently vacated seat.

"Yes." Harry walked slowly up the stairs and backed into Nikki's room, placing her gently down on the bed. "Night" he whispered, placing a tender kiss on her cheek before standing up straight and going into his own room, making sure Nikki was comfortable first.

**I had to have that talk and that kiss in there. I'm not too keen on this one. It's taken me all day nearly. I'm going to need ideas for chapter 3.**


	3. I Want To

"Morning" Nikki yawned as she walked into to the kitchen the next morning, too see Harry stood making coffee in just a pair of tracksuit bottoms which she supposed were what he slept in. "Who took me too bed? The last thing I remember was sitting on the sofa with you, watching TV."

"Yeah, that was me. You fell asleep on me so I carried you to your room." Harry replied, looking everywhere but at Nikki as she was still in her pyjamas which were only a thin tank top and a pair of shorts that left nothing to the imagination.

"Thank you." She smiled. "Where's your mum?"

"She works 6 while 12 so it's just on a morning. I probably should have told you."

"Ok. What time are we at college?"

"Not until 10.50. Breakfast?"

"Toast please. I should say sorry really." Nikki mused as she watched Harry potter round the kitchen making their breakfast.

"What for?" Harry asked with a confused on his face as he placed a plate down in front of Nikki.

"Since we met yesterday I've put you in some awkward positions like yesterday in my room and I suppose now with the way I'm dressed and I haven't said sorry and I suppose it doesn't help knowing how you feel about me."

"Nikki, there's no need to apologise. Yes, I like you. Yes, I like what you're wearing now but why wouldn't I? I'm a man and I'm not scared to tell you that I'm attracted to you and that I'll wait for you Nikki Alexander. I'll wait as long as you want."

* * *

><p>"Well, look who it is." Sally Walsh said "Nikki Alexander. I hear you've moved in with Harry Cunningham. Didn't take you long to get into his bed."<p>

"I moved in with a friend because my father kicked me out and just because Harry is male, doesn't mean I'm sleeping with him." _yet_ Nikki added as an afterthought. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to my next lesson."

"That's it, run along to your lesson we all know you just love being teacher's pet." Sally called after her.

"You ok?" Harry asked her as they waited outside the Biology lab.

"Yeah, just had a run in with Sally. She told me that it didn't take me long to get into your bed." Nikki replied, sitting down in her seat with Harry next to her.

"Ah, I wondered when that would start. I hope you told her how good I am." He winked at her before focusing on the teacher at the front of the room, while Nikki just giggled at him.

* * *

><p>"How was your day? Learn anything new?" Anne asked the teenagers as they walked into the house later that afternoon.<p>

"Good thanks. Only that everyone reckons I moved in here because I'm sleeping with Harry." Nikki told the older woman.

"Just ignore them. They're jealous that you can have male friends without sleeping them." She told her. "Now, we have fish and potatoes for tea, is that ok."

"That's fine. I'm going to make a start on the chemistry; you joining me?" Nikki asked Harry as she made her way over to the dining table with her bag.

"If I must."

"You don't have to. Just don't expect me to help you when you leave it to the last minute and there's something you can't do."

"I like the way you think there will be something that I can't do." Harry laughed, rooting through his bag in search of his chemistry books.

"This is SO boring." Harry exclaimed ten minutes later after only answering the first question while Nikki had answered the first five.

"Just get on with it." Nikki sighed, throwing a pencil at him.

* * *

><p>"What rubbish is this?" Harry asked as he walked into the living room to see Nikki had taken over the TV.<p>

"Ashes to Ashes now shush."

"What's it about?"

"A woman that got shot, who is now fighting her way through the eighties to get back to her daughter in 2008."

"Why was she shot?"

"Are you always this annoying when watching TV?"

"Yes."

* * *

><p>"I see you're wearing next to nothing again tonight. You know that will plague my dreams tonight." Harry told Nikki as they stood in the hallway outside their rooms that night.<p>

"You can talk; just trackies? I will be having interesting dreams myself." Nikki giggled.

"Ah. You fancy me." He stated both thankful that Anne had gone to bed some hours before.

"You caught me. I mean you're an attractive man, how can I not?"

"In that case, what would you do, if I did this?" Harry asked before pressing his lips to her, pulling away almost instantly.

"If you did that then I would do this." Nikki said, wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him like there was no tomorrow.

"I'm guessing this means we're together now?" Harry asked a few minutes later after they had broken apart.

"If you want to that is. I mean we don't have to but..."

"I want to."

* * *

><p><strong>I'm sorry it's so short but I have no idea where I am going with this. I would appreciate some ideas in your reviews.<strong>


	4. I Want To Build A Fort

"Ah, there you are." Harry said as Nikki walked into the kitchen fully dressed the next morning.

Walking over to Harry, she accepted a cup of coffee off of him and leant next to him on the counter. "What are we doing today?" She asked a second later, realising it Wednesday so they had the day off.

"I don't know, what do you want to do?"

A moment pass without either saying a word until Nikki exclaimed "I want to build a fort!"

"A fort?" Harry asked, suddenly becoming worried about Nikki's mental health.

"Yes, I never got to build one as a kid and now we have a day off with nothing to do, so why not?" She argued her point, which she thought was a good excuse to get her way.

"If my lady wants us to build a fort then we shall. I'm sure we can find some spare sheets and pillows to make it comfortable"

"Come on then. The sooner we finish building, the sooner we can sit and do nothing in our fort. Where shall we build it?"

"My room, I'm not sure mum would be too pleased to get home from work to find the living room covered with all her sheets and pillows."

The next two hours, found Harry and Nikki in Harry's room pinning sheets to walls and arranging pillows on the floor, with the odd kiss as they passed each other in their tasks.

"Done." Nikki stated, standing up from her place on the floor.

"I don't know why you got up, you're going to have to crawl to get in there; ladies first." Harry smiled, holding one side of the make-shift door open for Nikki to crawl through so he could crawl in behind her.

* * *

><p>"Harry, Nikki, I'm home." Anne Cunningham called through the house a couple of hours after the fort had been built.<p>

Breaking his lips away from Nikki's as he heard his mum's voice ring through the house. "Mum's home." He stated.

"I know, I'm not deaf." She giggled, hitting him lightly on his still bare chest were he hadn't bothered to get dressed. Leaving her hand on his chest, stroking it gently, Nikki drew her head in closer and kissed him once more. As Nikki's lips touched Harry's, the bedroom door opened with Anne stood in the doorway, confused as to why her son's room had sheets pinned to the wall.

"Harry?" Anne whispered, pulling back the two sheets in front of her. What she saw was what she least expected. Harry and Nikki fused together at the lips with his hands either side of her face, hers holding onto the bare skin of his hips, both lying on their sides in the middle of the room.

Harry and Nikki jumped as they heard a coughing sound coming from the door to their fort. "What on earth is going on here?" Anne asked.

"We built a fort and were just, erm..." Harry spoke.

"Yes I can see what you were doing and I want to know all the details." Anne smiled at the horrified look on his mother's face. "You can but these sheets and pillows away while I talk to Nikki."

"Mum!" Harry groaned, the last thing he wanted was her to know everything. Catching a glance of the look he was receiving from Anne, he gave Nikki one last kiss before shoving both women out of the room so he could get started on the clean up job he had been dumped with.

* * *

><p>"Well?" Anne probed Nikki as they flopped onto the sofa after leaving Harry to clean up his room.<p>

"Last night, just before we went to bed, we stood in the hallway outside our rooms. He said some things, I said some things and we kissed, that's it." Nikki said as if it was no big deal.

"Some things?"

"We were in our pyjamas and I only wear a small tank top and shorts and he said that I'm wearing next to nothing and the image of me in my pjs would plague his dreams. I said that he can talk with only wearing his tracksuit bottoms and that I would be having dreams as well. He'd told me he liked me that morning and after I said I would be having dreams he said 'Ah. You fancy me.' And I couldn't disagree with him. I asked him how I couldn't and that it hadn't escaped my notice how attractive he is and then he asked what I would do if he kissed me, but he kissed me instead of saying it and I told him I would kiss him back, again kissing him instead of saying it. With that he asked if we were a couple but only if I wanted to and I told him I wanted to, so..."

"And did you have these dreams?"

"Of course." Nikki smiled. "Don't tell Harry though, I will never hear the end of it."

"Never hear the end of what" Harry asked as walked in, dropping down on the sofa next to Nikki, placing his arm around her shoulders.

"Nothing." Nikki smiled innocently.

"You're lying and I know you're ticklish so tell me." Harry laughed as Nikki jumped up and ran away from him.

Jumping up and running in the same direction, it wasn't long before he caught up with her in her room. When he did catch her he pinned her to the floor, tickling her ribs, making Nikki let out a high pitched squeal.

"Ok, ok, I'll tell you." Nikki screamed through her laughter. "You know last night before we first kissed?"

"Yes..."

"I had those dreams I told you I would."

"Well, it's a good job that I had the dreams that I told you I would be having then isn't it."

"Really?" Nikki asked, not quite believing him.

"Why wouldn't I? I had them the night before too."

* * *

><p>The next back at college, Harry and Nikki were walking down the hallway hand-in-hand when they came across Sally who had clearly spotted their joined hands.<p>

"And you try and say you're not sleeping with him."

"I'm not. We don't need to sleep together to be dating."

"If you say so. Just watch it, I know a lot of people who would kill to get their claws in Harry."

"Well the police will be short of murders and your 'people' will be short of conquests because the only I girl I want is Nikki."

* * *

><p><strong>Not too sure on this one. I seem to write too much dialogue. What do you think? Should I try writing more description-y stuff or do you like the masses of dialogue? Drop your opinion in a review.<strong>


	5. Tomato Pasta

"Are you off to the lecture about Oxford uni tomorrow?"Harry inquired as he and Nikki strolled down the street in the direction of home.

"Yes, and you're coming with me." Nikki said bluntly.

"But you know I hate going to lectures. You just sit there listening to some bore droning on and on." He whined.

"I don't care. You're still coming." Nikki knew he couldn't say no to her so she had no idea why he was arguing with her.

"Are you going to help me?" Harry asked cheekily as they turned down the road they lived on.

"No... Well, not yet anyway, we're not ready for that step yet." She replied, a grin on her face to match his.

"Mum said she's out this evening so we have to cook tea ourselves." Harry told Nikki a few minutes later as they reached the house. "What do you want? I can cook pasta and pasta."

"Pasta it is then. As long we have a tomato based sauce. I don't like cheese sauce with pasta."

"As my lady commands." Harry said, earning a small giggle from Nikki.

"So I'm just yours now am I?" Nikki asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh yes." He smiled back at her, dropping his head to plant a firm kiss on her lips.

"Do you mind doing that in private? Some people don't enjoy watching two people trying to undress each other in public you know." Both Harry and Nikki broke apart and looked back onto the street to see Sally stood just behind their garden gate.

"What the hell are you doing around here?" He fumed. "And I don't see any of our clothes out of place or on the floor, do you? No. Now get out of here." With that he turned and gathered Nikki into his arms, leading her inside where they sat on the sofa cuddling together.

* * *

><p>"Harry, Nikki, I'm home." Anne called through the house at 9pm.<p>

"We're upstairs." Harry called back.

"Have you had food?" Anne asked as she popped her head around the door to Harry's room where she knew they would be. As predicted, Anne found them both laying on top of the duvet on Harry's bed, arms around each other, their lips red and swollen from the kissing they'd been doing, happy to be connected by their lips until they were ready to go further.

"Yes, Harry made tomato pasta." Nikki smiled up at the older woman.

"I thought he would. It's the only thing he can cook." Anne told the younger woman. "I'm off to bed, I'm out just after you get up. I'll bring you a coffee before I go ok?"

"Ok, mum. Thanks" Harry replied.

"Do you want one as well Nikki?"

"Please."

"Ok, then. Night."

"Night." Harry and Nikki replied simultaneously.

Minutes later, with their lips reunited, Harry rolled them over so he was hovering above her. Nikki's hands roamed about on his chest, under the shit he wore, while his supported his weight to prevent him crushing her. Nikki removed her hands from his chest, reaching instead for the buttons of his shirt, undoing them teasingly slow before slipping it from his shoulders. Nikki broke her lips from his, moving them down onto his neck and further, planting small kisses down his chest reaching the top of his jeans before Harry pulled her back up, attaching his lips to hers once again before giving her body the treatment he had just received, stopping where he stopped her, both knowing that they weren't ready for that just yet.

* * *

><p>"Harry. Are you awake yet?" Anne asked, popping her head around the door, like she had the night before, only this time she had two cups of coffee in her hands. Only this time a smirk graced her face as she saw Nikki wrapped around Harry and Harry wrapped around Nikki. Harry wearing only his tracksuit bottoms. Nikki wearing only Harry's shirt, her clothes and bra scattered on the floor as if they'd been thrown blindly.<p>

Harry groaned as he heard his mother's voice. He lifted his head from the pillow, observing his surroundings slightly before remembering that after they'd grew tired, they'd changed and climbed into bed, he'd leant Nikki the shirt he'd been wearing that day to slip on with her underwear, while he slipped his jeans off and his joggers on. "Yeah."

"Good. Why is Nikki in here and not in her own room?" Anne knew that they were both sensible and wouldn't do what they weren't comfortable but it was a slight shock to discover her son's girlfriend of about 3 days in bed with him, their clothes covering the floor.

"I'm off to work. I'll be back in time for tea. What do you want?"

"I don't mind." Harry replied. Nikki stirred in the bed next to him as Anne left the room. "Morning sleepy."

"Morning."

* * *

><p><strong>I know it's been ages since I updated this and I have no excuses. I only plan on doing one more chapter after this which will be an epilogue. I'll try making it a long one to make up for this being really short and rather rubbish. I can't see how I can go too much further without it becoming too like Immortal Spud Thief's 'When They Were Young'. Anyway, as I said, I will write an epilogue tomorrow which will be set after they've finished med school and are working with Leo in the lab. You will probably get that by tomorrow evening.<strong>


	6. Epilogue: Part 1

Epilogue: Part 1

"Harry?" Leo called through from his office. "Where's the tox report for William Harris. His report needs sending to the coroner and that's the only thing missing."

"Just a sec. I think it is..." Harry mumbled, making his way through into the break room, reaching into the cupboard under the sink, pulling the requested document out a few seconds later. "Got it!"

"Do I _want_ to know why it was under the sink?" Leo asked uncertainly as he placed the page in it's place.

"Well, I was typing up my report when I knocked over my coffee so I put it there to protect it while I cleaned up the coffee. I completely forgot it was there until you just asked for it."

"Right." The older man looked at Harry with a worried look on his face before saying their goodbyes and heading home.

* * *

><p>Opening the front door, Harry stepped through into the hallway of the semi-detached house he and Nikki lived in. After graduating from Oxford and become forensic pathologists, Harry and Nikki had moved to London and year later they were married.<p>

Harry turned slightly to glance over his shoulder as he heard the door creak open from where he was hanging up his coat. See his wife, he smiled and wandered over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and dropping a tender kiss to her lips before she had a chance to speak, take her coat off and drop her bag to the floor. "Good day?" he asked with his arms still around her.

"Just paperwork, tying up all the loose ends before the lab closes." Nikki said casually, having only just been told about her lab, meaning she hadn't had chance to tell Harry that she had just finished her last day at the lab she worked in.

"The labs closing? When? Why didn't you tell me?" Harry inquired, wondering why she had kept this sort of information from him.

"I only found out today when James announced this morning that we were to spend the day tying up all the loose ends of open cases as today was our last day, and didn't tell you before now because I didn't know myself. I had wondered for a while because Jenny told me one lunch time a few months back that she was thinking of moving to a new flat, a more modern one but that she might wait until, and I quote, 'this wretched place has been knocked down and the new flats have been built'. So as of now, I am officially unemployed." Nikki sighed.

"They can't do that. Surely you all deserve notice so you can find a new job. Tell you what, the lab has just given us funding for an extra pathologist, why don't I have a word with Leo?" Harry suggested.

"Really? I mean, do you think we'll manage working and living together?"

"We'll be fine." Harry reassured her.

"You go put the kettle on while I phone Leo." Harry said, patting her bum and pushing her in the direction of the kitchen.

"_Hello?_" Leo said into the phone, not having looked at the caller ID.

"Hello Leo" Harry replied.

"_What can I do for you? You're not getting more time off if that's what you want, we're pushed enough with just the two off us."_

"I think I may have a solution to that."

"_What the hell are you talking about?_"

"Well, Nikki's just got home and told me that the lab she works in is being knocked down and a load of new, swanky flats are being built there so as of today she is unemployed. I was wondering if she could get the job."

"_Well, it's certainly something to consider._"

"What do you mean consider? Come on Leo, how much have we both done for you? Like when Theresa and Cassie died. You'd be nothing without Nikki, just a blubbering mess. The least you could do is give her a job. I mean, you know what she was like on maternity leave a couple of years ago and she had no choice but to have time off then."

"_Ok, ok. I see your point, bring her in with you on Monday and I'll give her a trail. It's the best I can do without it seeming suspicious, you know what people are like. She can help you with what ever case you get on Monday._"

"Thank you SO much. I'll see you on Monday."

"and?" Nikki asked, placing two mugs on the coffee table in front of them.

* * *

><p><strong>Muahaha. I feel mean for leaving it there but I am doing an 'Epilogue: Part 2' which should be up soon.<strong>


	7. Epilogue: Part 2

Epilogue: Part 2

"He said that the best he can do without it seeming fixed is to give you a trail. He said you can come in on Monday and help me with what ever case I get." Harry smiled.

"Thank you. I really mean it, I mean without you I'd be homeless, unemployed and forever alone." Nikki leant forward to drop a brief kiss to his lips before leaning back again. "What time does Emily finish her after school club?"

"You'd better set off now while I get tea on the go." Harry told her.

"OK. I'll see you in a bit." She gave him one last kiss before returning to the hall way and putting her coat and shoes back on.

Harry heard the front door click shut as he went into a daze, wondering what his life would be like had he not met Nikki; had her mother not died meaning she was sent over here to live with her father. Would they know each other? Would they have met later on in life? Would they still be together? Would they be married? Would they have Emily? He guessed that the answer to all of those questions was a resounding no. He wouldn't know the love of his life, he would be a thirty-year old bachelor with no kids and the idea of marriage would be a distant dream that never came true.

* * *

><p>"Morning Leo." Harry said as he dragged a rather nervous looking Nikki into his office.<p>

"Morning." He replied. "Now, I know that I will most definitely give you the job Nikki, but I can't have it looking fixed, especially as you're Harry's wife, so I'm going to put you on a 4 week trial, in that time, I will get one or two others in to make it look fair, but they'll only be here for two of those weeks. After the four weeks are up, I'll be happy to keep you on full time. Welcome aboard."

Harry was about to ask if any cases had come up that they could get started on just as the phone rang. Shutting his mouth, he waited until Leo and hung up before speaking "Where are we going?"

"Here." Leo said handing them a piece of paper, watching as Harry grabbed his equipment case and took Nikki's hand as they walked through the automatic doors into the car park.

* * *

><p>"We've done well." Nikki whispered as she and Harry stood in the doorway to Emily's bedroom.<p>

"Yes we have." Came her husbands reply. "Married, brilliant job and a beautiful daughter."

"With another child on the way" Nikki whispered having not yet told Harry that she was pregnant yet again.

"What? You're..." he trailed off, eying her stomach.

"2 months." She nodded. "I found out at lunch. I had my suspicions when I missed last month and was late this month."

"That's... amazing." Harry breathed, kissing her on the lips before drawing back and looking deep into her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too." Nikki smiled in return.

* * *

><p><strong>That's it for this fic. I'm sorry if it seems that I rushed this, I really am but I just wanted to get it over with and like I said before I couldn't see how I could carry this on much further without it seeming too much like Immortal Spud Thief's story 'When They Were Young'.<strong>


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